The following correction was printed in the Observer's For the records column, Sunday February 25 2007

The article below claimed: 'At this time of year, you should be able to see 400 constellations.' The International Astronomical Union recognises only 88 official constellations across the entire sky.

At this time of year, you should be able to see 400 constellations. But in much of the country, you probably won’t be able to thanks to up-all-night office blocks and snaking street lights.

However, even in our overly light-polluted country, there are places where a night sky can be seen in all its glory. Powys is one of the least light-polluted parts of Britain. According to Bob Mizon of the British Astronomical Association, it has 'some of the best night skies in the UK, with 3,000 to 5,000 stars visible on a good night'.

You could do worse than book into Alltwinea Farmhouse in Llanwrtyd Wells, where there’s nothing to distract you from the joy of staring upwards.